Application of linear induction motors (LIM) on enterprises of non-ferrous metallurgy involves accomplishing specific engineering and economic tasks of building a power unit of electric drive, engineering, modeling, designing, as well as technical and economic assessing of electric drive indicators. The paper presents an overview and analytical information on these issues, which allows industry specialists to perform a feasibility study of LIM usage. The prospects of LIM application in electric drives of processing and auxiliary equipment of non-ferrous metallurgy sub-sectors are justified and respective examples are given. The designing tasks of layout synthesis and calculation of the output characteristics with corresponding modeling aids are classified. It is established that there are no methods and means of solving both problems currently prevalent and accepted by professional community. Low operating rate of an electric drive and edge effects reduce energy data of LIM. At the same time, electric drives based on LIM or rotary motion electric motors are competitive variants of a linear electric drive. A mathematical model for layout synthesis of LIM is suggested. The model includes the means of forecasting estimation of electromagnetic, technical, weight-size and dynamic parameters of the object. On this basis, the main magnetic field of LIM was calculated. The LIM service life model calculation is implemented, what has allowed to evaluate cost-effectiveness of LIM application. It is established that in certain situations the use of a linear electric drive with LIM is advisable and cost-effective. The question of expediency of LIM usage in each concrete case should be settled based on a feasibility study.